NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski said he didn’t realize he scored his 100th career touchdown from QB Tom Brady last Thursday. 

“I didn’t even really know about it in the moment…I just listen to Coach [Tom] Moore. He said, ‘I’ll keep counting for you Rob, and you just keep catching.’ I said, ‘I like that one. I’ll just keep catching.’ That’s what I’ll do,” he said via NFL Media’s Michael Giardi.

• Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians said S Jordan Whitehead (labrum) practiced at full speed on Wednesday and is expected to play in Week 2. (Greg Auman)

Falcons

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Falcons worked out OL Jake Eldrenkamp, OL Danny Isidora, OL Patrick Omameh, DL Mike Pennel, and OL Bryan Witzmann. 
• Isidora, Pennel and Witzmann were signed to the practice squad. 

Panthers

• New Panthers K Zane Gonzalez said his June workout with the team was “pretty much perfect” but at the time the team was confident in K Joey Slye. (Joe Person)
• Former Panthers K Ryan Santoso cleared waivers and is now a free agent. (Person)

Saints

Saints’ recently acquired CB Bradley Roby points out that he has several college teammates alongside him in New Orleans.

“I could have gone to a team where I didn’t know anyone, it could have been weird or whatever,” Roby said, via John DeShazier of the team’s official site. “But coming to this team and I know a lot of the guys already, it just seems like a seamless fit. We have high standards coming from Ohio State, and nothing changes.”

Roby added that the Saints’ system is the perfect fit for him given they play a lot of man and press coverage 

“I think it fits perfect,” Roby said. “They play a lot of man coverage here, that’s what I do. I’ve made a career on that. I play zone also, but I just love to press and get into guys at the line of scrimmage and bump and run early. That’s what I like to do, I think that’s a strength of mine, I think it fits well and I’m excited for sure.”

Roby called being acquired by the Saints a “blessing” given they are a contending team in the NFC South. 

“As soon as I heard the Saints, I just thought about all the guys I know here, we train in the offseason – (receiver) Mike Thomas, Marshon, (running back) Alvin (Kamara),” Roby said. “As soon as I heard that and heard the Saints, I was just like, ‘What a blessing, because we’re playing for something here.’ And it’s not that Houston’s not playing for anything, it’s just a different level right now, in my opinion.